Health: Healthcare Worker Abuse On The Rise

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Violence against nurses and healthcare workers is a growing problem in hospitals across the country and in our area. They met in Philadelphia pushing for better safety.

Nurses and their colleagues are on the front lines of medicine, but taking care of patients is increasingly coming with a high price for them. They are suffering injuries, like bite wounds, from violent patients and family members.

"He was slamming me up against the wall, so that really made everything bad for me," said Claretha Fulcher, a Technician at Temple University Hospital. She was left with a back injury after being attacked by a patient. She shared war stories at a booked to capacity violence in the workplace session, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.

"We've been finding across the state really there's increasing violence against healthcare workers," said Patricia Eakin, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals and an Emergency Room Nurse at Temple University Hospital.

Every week, eight to thirteen percent of emergency room nurses are victims of physical violence, according to a new study.

"Healthcare professionals, nurses, and those that are in the hospitals are 16 times more likely to be assaulted at work than any other profession. That's just unacceptable," said Seth Williams, Philadelphia District Attorney.

The escalating injuries are blamed on hospital cutbacks, and a growing number of patients with substance and mental abuse problems.

Don Webb, an Emergency Room Nurse at Crozer Chester Medical Center, was sharing his most recent incident of a colleague who was bitten.

"I think it's scary overall. We're all the time being cussed, stuffs thrown at us family members get angry, all kinds of abuse," said Don.

The nurses union wants to identify ways to make hospitals safer, whether through legislation or pushing for hospitals to have better safeguards.

Statements from both Temple University Hospital and Crozer Chester Medical Center said violence is a problem everywhere, and they're working hard to ensure a safe work environment.

Reported by: Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3